Snake Handling Baptists twice*

 Snake handling Baptists. I’m not sure what part of the ministerial job description this was, but a couple of times at the same church I was asked to remove snakes from the church property. The facilities manager, who is even less fond of snakes than I, agreed to be my “wildlife relocation assistant” during our first extraction. I normally would have said, "no" to the request to handle this reptilian varmint, however preschoolers from our Child Development Center were in close proximity to this ovoviviparous slithery creature and no one from the “Aussie Snake Wranglers” happened to be available at that moment. The childcare workers reported that all the kids were looking at a "pretty cable" in the grass next to the playground, THEN IT MOVED! Initially, we couldn't find this "moving cable," but my friend decided to lift a large garbage bin. All I saw was a salamander comfortably snuggled in the mud, BUT THEN that ancient fear of serpents jumped into my throat as I saw the snake near the corner of the bin in the mud. I was trying to stay calm and not arouse fear in the preschoolers while my heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my head. I quickly grabbed the bucket because it was time for a “snake round up.” I laid down the bucket and pushed the snake in the 5 gallon bucket with a broom handle, then covered it with a towel to keep him calm like I had seen the Crocodile Hunter do on TV. My friend and I released this critter into the woods a little ways from the church, but only after we attempted to show him to some petrified secretaries who locked themselves in the office at the first mention of the word "snake" and first glimpse of the bucket that held it.  Oh and did I mention he was just a 10 inch Garter snake? Apparently this was just a practice round though, because not long afterward there was a two and a half foot Copperhead in the bushes of the church courtyard.  This one didn’t go quite as smoothly. My friend had already begun the extraction with a rake when I walked up behind him. He got so scared he flung the venomous creature into the air straight up over our heads. As we know what goes straight up must come straight down, so we screamed like little girls and ran away. We then had to change our strategy, because the snake was angry and much more aggressive. I am glad to say we finally relocated this scaled squatter, but not without a few more church cleansed expletives and screams.

 

In a similar manner, we read that the ancient serpent called the devil was hurled out of heaven straight to the earth and he led the whole world away from God.  Rev. 12:7-9 says,  “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” He has wreaked havoc here ever since. But his time on earth is not long,  because Jesus has defeated him by His death on the cross and his work to free us from sin and hell.  Rev. 12:12 says, “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” We later read in Rev. 20:10 that “the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” The Good News is that everyone who belongs to Jesus is saved from this same fate and will live in peace with God, but unfortunately those who still belong to the ancient serpent will share his fate of burning torment forever and ever.  So, now would be a good time to insure Who you belong to.  When we belong to Jesus, we act like Him, we tell the truth, we love everyone He loves. But when we belong to the serpent, we act like him, angry, resentful, and deceptive. 

Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!

What Are You Full Of?*

What are you full of?  My father, as a retired physician, had an old John Deere tractor on his small farm on the French Broad River near Knoxville. He loved that old tractor, but it was frequently in need of repair. The hydraulics leaked and the tires were old, but it seemed to always run. He had to carry a tool box with it, just in case it had a problem. I suppose this was a flashback from his childhood.  His father, who was also a physician, would leave the house and tell my father, about aged 12 at the time, to make sure the field was mowed by the time he returned. My father would go to start the tractor, but it wouldn’t start. Rather than give up and make an excuse, he would start working on the tractor until he got it running. He would then mow the field.  My grandfather passed away unexpectedly a few years later. My father was just a teen.  My father’s repair skills came in handy many times around his family’s house when no one else was there to help. In his seventies, my father bought an old John Deere to help around the 18 acres. He re-lived his early years of tractor repair.  As my father reached his late 70’s the tractor was still having problems, but my father was not as physically able to fix it. So, when I was in town, he asked me to help. However, I was not quite as handy as my father. One particular day, one of the air valves on the rear tractor tire was leaking. These tires have air, water, and antifreeze in them. The water to help give better traction and the antifreeze to keep water from freezing and ruining the tire. Fortunately the valve was in a position where the water and antifreeze was not leaking out. However, when I used the air valve puller to remove the faulty valve, the air pressure from the weight of that tractor sprayed the air and fluid out of that tire right into my face. Temporarily blinded, I struggled to put the new valve into the tire to stop the flow. Once I finally accomplished the task, I was soaked in water and antifreeze. At that moment I remembered that antifreeze was toxic when ingested or absorbed through the skin. I began spitting and spewing all I could get out of my mouth and maybe a bad word or two. I also started taking my soaked clothes off. I found a towel and wiped off all I could. But the tire task was not finished, we still had to refill the tire with air. So half dressed, I grabbed the air compressor hose and filled the tire. I then went to the house, rinsed my mouth out, and took a shower. 

 

When Jesus was a boy, the scriptures say He “…grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.”(Luke 2:40 ESV) Jesus was known by having God’s favor and the wisdom he was filled with. He had so much wisdom at age 12 at the Temple in Jerusalem, the Gospel of Luke says, “all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” (Luke 2:47 ESV) When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we undergo pressure, patience and kindness comes out. When things get hectic, peace and joy come out.  When someone is unkind to us, love comes out. However, when we forget Who we are filled with, other toxic things spew from us onto those around us.  What (or Who) are you filled with? 

 

Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!